Doubts over esky tale of survival

A rescue expert has cast doubts over the claims of two Burmese men who say they survived 25 days floating in an esky off Queensland's Cape York.

NRMA CareFlight Rescue's medical director Alan Garner said he was "dubious" about the fishermens' claims of surviving the ordeal at sea in scorching hot conditions with limited access to fresh water.

"There's no way they could have survived 25 days without water," he told ninemsn.

The two fishermen, aged 22 and 24, were released from hospital yesterday in "good condition" after being treated for dehydration and minor scratches following their rescue from the makeshift flotation device on Saturday.

Medical staff who treated them were reportedly astonished at their apparent good health despite temperatures above 30C and cyclone-ravaged seas.

Dr Garner, who has been rescuing people for 15 years, said people found at sea usually look "terrible".

"They don't appear to have lost much weight. They didn't appear to be suffering sun exposure and all the skin changes I would have expected to see," he said.

"I'm surprised they look so good."

The fishermen claimed they survived on water and pieces of fish already inside the commercial fishing ice box after their 10-metre wooden Thai fishing boat sank.

But Dr Garner was skeptical over their access to fresh water because salt water would have been splashing into the container.

"In those kind of conditions they would need a minimum of three litres of water [each] per day"¦ that would be a few hundred litres of fresh water."

Dr Garner said physical signs of protein malnutrition would have become obvious after a week or so, including swelling of the stomach and ankles, rapid loss of muscle tone and body fat as well as skin changes.

However, Mr Garner said it was possible they could have overcome malnutrition if they had sufficient fish supplies.

"If they were eating fish you might not see those types of changes," he said.
"It would take a bit of skill to catch a fish bare-handed [out of an esky]."

An Immigration Department spokesman said the men had been put up in a motel where they were recuperating and being interviewed.

"I think it will take several days to get all the facts and get to the bottom of their claims," he was quoted as saying.

Saturday's rescue was carried out when they were spotted drifting into Torres Strait by a Coastwatch plane.

The fishermen believe the remaining 18 crew members drowned in the Indian Ocean.

Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokesperson Tracey Jiggins told ninemsn there were no distress calls received from the fishing boat, but that was no reason to doubt their story.

"The only information we can go on is what they've told us," she said.

"At the end of the day it's amazing that they were spotted by the aircraft."

Helicopter pilot Terry Gadenne, who rescued the men 60 nautical miles north-west of Horn Island on Saturday said the men were "fairly desperate" when they were found.

"They were dehydrated, there's no doubt about it, and very keen to get out," Fairfax Radio quoted Mr Gadenne as saying.

The men — who do not have any identification — will most likely be returned home within weeks unless they decide to claim refugee status, according to the Immigration Department.